Odd One Out
by That One Eccedentesiast
Summary: Sometimes, it sucked being the only guy. Other times though, it really wasn't so bad. Gender-Bent AU. COMPLETE.


**_Odd One Out_**

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><p>Walking out of his bathroom, Sakurai used the towel around his neck to dry his hair. Coming to his bedroom, Sakurai nudged the door open and stepped into the darkly shadowed room with a plan already in mind. He'd flop down on his bed, kick off his slippers and conk out like a man just smothered with a cloth dipped in chloroform.<p>

Flopping onto his red coverlet with eyes closed, Sakurai sighed and curled up on his side as he let his slippers fall off his feet and hit the ground around his bed. Sometimes, it really, _really _sucked to be the only boy in a team Sakurai reflected as the day played out in his mind...

XxXxX

Four days into training as a team, Sakurai could already feel himself improving as he sparred with Naruko in a sunny patch of grass. Laughing once when he got a good kick in that sent the slender girl stumbling back, the boy looked up to see if his sensei and other teammate had noticed. Unfortunately,Kakashi had her face buried in _Icha-Icha Paradise _(like usual) and Sasuha was too busy sharpening her kunai to care what he and their ditzy teammate were doing. Biting his lip, Sakurai tried not to feel too upset that his cute crush didn't care in the slightest that he was finally beating Naruko in more than wits when-

"Ah!" He yelped as a body collided with him. Falling to the ground chin first, Sakurai groaned as he realized Naruko was standing on his back and obstructing his breathing.

Blond hair briefly flitted before his vision as he heard her grating voice shout "Ha! I got you Sakurai!"

Finally looking up form their activities, the boy tried not to feel jealous at the fact that the loud-mouth could get more attention just by yelling than he could for showing his developing prowess.

Tucking away her book, their sensei curved her lone eye at them and pushed back her mess of hair. "Well, well, that you did," she agreed.

Jumping on Sakurai, Naruko asked "Are you going to get us ramen like you promised?! Remember you said we could!"

"Sure, but I'm paying for just _one _bowl each."

The girl giggled in embarrassment as Sakurai tried to wheeze for her to get off him. "Don't worry 'kashi-sensei! I'm on a diet anyway!" Naruko told their teacher.

"A diet, huh?" Sasuha snorted from her spot. "If you _really _cared about your weight you wouldn't eat all that instant ramen that you do."

"Shut up bitch!" Naruko shrieked as she launched herself off Sakurai's back to try and strangle the boy's crush with no success.

Still lying in the grass, Sakurai debated if it was even worth getting up when he felt someone grip the back of his shirt and pull him to his feet. Lifting his gaze, the boy found himself gazing into the lone eye of his Kakashi-sensei. Blushing a pinker pink than his hair, Sakurai twiddled his fingers and dropped his eyes to feet.

"Um," he mumbled embarrassed.

Hand lightly touching his shoulder, Kakashi complimented "You got a good kick in there today."

"Oh! Um, thanks," Sakurai smiled as his teacher gave him a nudge toward his teammates who were busy pulling each other's long hair.

Taking her hand from his shoulder, the boy's sensei clapped her hands and declared "It's time to go girls!"

"Yay!" Naruko cheered as she bounced into the air with Sasuha sulking beside her.

Smiling at his dark of eye and hair teammate, Sakurai offered kindly "At least they serve more than ramen, eh?"

The last Uchiha only snorted and walked past to take up the spot on the other side of their teacher. Feeling little better than pond scum, Sakurai took up the flank of their group and followed the girls to the village.

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><p>"Thanks Teuchi!" Naruko shouted at the eatery's owner. "You're the best in the village!"<p>

Smiling a closed-mouth grin, the aging man took his teammates bowl and said "You're too kind."

Passing off his own bowl, Sakurai gave the man a shy smile of his own as Naruko wandered off to look at the shop windows. Smiling at his crush, the boy suggested to Sasuha "Should we keep an eye on her?"

"Hn," the girl agreed in her noncommittal way as the boy slid off his stool to hurry after his teammate who now had her nose pressed to a window front. At first, Sakurai didn't know if Sasuha was going to follow, but then he heard her fleet footsteps behind him and ducked his head as a blush warmed his cheeks. It was little moments like these the boy enjoyed. Naruko wasn't butting in, Kakashi wasn't watching and if Sakurai just slowed his steps a _little _they could walk next to each other like a couple-

"Hey! Hey! Bitch come look at these!"

Exhaling in defeat, Sakurai watched Sasuha surpass him and take up the free spot next to Naruko. The boy didn't get it. Girls talked about each other behind their backs, gave back-handed compliments and occasionally got into cat-fights; but even _then _even the greatest of nemeses still shared a camaraderie that Sakurai had never witnessed between two guys.

Coming up behind the pair, he heard Naruko squeal:

"Oh look at that hat! Isn't it _so _cute!?"

Sasuha replied in more subdue tones "The gloves are better. Each finger has ears and whiskers."

"You're _right!_"

Sakurai crinkled his nose. Ugh. _Window-Shopping_.

"What are you kids looking at?" The boy jumped, but the girls only looked back with vaguely gleaming eyes.

Smiling blindingly, Naruko poked at the glass. "Look sensei! The winter things are half-off and those gloves are _adorable_!"

"Hmm..." Kakashi had muttered as she leaned in close to inspect the display. "Maybe we could do a bit of shopping before we get back to training..."

"Please sensei!?"

"Hn."

His teammates agreed and Sakurai took a dismayed step back. They were going to be here all afternoon! And so, before he could be dragged into their exploits, the boy said "I'm going to take a seat over there, okay?"

"Sure," His teacher agreed as the trio headed for the shop's door.

Flopping down on a bench across the street, Sakurai wished he had a pocket big enough to keep a book in like his sensei. At least then time wouldn't pass so slowly.

Thirty or so minutes later, his teammates and sensei stepped out of the shop each with their own bag of things. Approaching Sakurai with mildly pleased expressions, Kakashi-sensei announced "I think it's time we head back for the last stretch of our training today."

"Alright," Sakurai agreed eagerly. "Maybe we can learn a new jutsu from you?"

Waving a distracted hand as she rummaged through her bag, his teacher replied "Yeah."

Not feeling all that assured of his hope's fulfillment, the boy couldn't help the pout as they began the stroll back to their training grounds. As they walked, Sasuha nudged his elbow and he looked to the slight girl.

she held out something to him. Looking at her open palm, Sakurai saw it was a keychain of pink and white sakura flowers. Not meeting his eyes, the girl said "I know pink's not your favorite..but you like flowers. Right?"

"Uh, yeah, I do actually." The boy answered with true surprise. Who knew she'd think of him in there while shopping?

"Naruko pointed it out, but didn't have the money. And we kind of realized we made you wait a long time..."

Taking it, he smiled at her. "No, this is great. Thanks guys."

Both of his teammates smiled at him and the day didn't seem like such a waste anymore.

XxXxX

Reaching for his new keychain on the end table in the dark, Sakurai curled his fist around it and sighed happily. Even if he was the only boy, it was nice knowing his teammates thought about him and liked him well enough to spend their money on him.

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><p><strong>Because I like doing interesting things? I've not done a gender-bend either, so I thought it would be fun ;) What did you guys think? Did you like it? Dislike it?<strong>

**Names:**

**Sakura-Sakurai**

**Naruto-Naruko**

**Sasuke-Sasuha**

**Kakashi-Kakashi**

**Thanks for reading and please review :)**

**P.S. Please vote on the poll I have on my page after you finish reading!**

**If you liked this, you may also like:**

_**A Step Back - **_**"****Naruto takes Sasuke and Sakura to a training field he found. There, they run into some unexpected people and Sasuke is left wondering just how well he knows his sensei**_**."**_

**or**

_**And I Struggle - **_**"Getting the sharingan did not in fact make Kakashi's life any easier. Actually, it might have made it even harder."**


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